From 5bfca3d329c19b0606c31bb288d41b58ca81ebb5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paul Beesley Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2019 12:02:09 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] doc: Clarify ssize_t use in coding guidelines Change-Id: I083f673f37495d2e53c704a43a0892231b6eb281 Signed-off-by: Paul Beesley --- docs/coding-guidelines.rst | 4 +++- 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/docs/coding-guidelines.rst b/docs/coding-guidelines.rst index 0fb23d96..3075c63d 100644 --- a/docs/coding-guidelines.rst +++ b/docs/coding-guidelines.rst @@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ type usage guidelines should be followed: - Use ``size_t`` when storing the ``sizeof()`` something. -- (Rarely) use ``ssize_t`` when returning ``sizeof()`` or error from a function. +- Use ``ssize_t`` when returning the ``sizeof()`` something from a function that + can also return an error code; the signed type allows for a negative return + code in case of error. This practice should be used sparingly. - Use ``u_register_t`` when it's important to store the contents of a register in its native size (32-bit in AArch32 and 64-bit in AArch64). This is not a -- 2.30.2